Huanyan Temple of Xi'an
★★★★
Temples
On the Ban Slope of Shaolingyuan, Southeast of Weiqu Street, Duqu Town, Duqu Town, Chang'an District, Xi'an
Description
Huayan Temple is one of the eight major temples of Fanchuan in the south of Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty. It is located in Banpo of Shaoling, fifteen kilometers south of Xi'an, and is one of the eight famous Fanchuan temples in the Tang Dynasty. It is the birthplace of Huayan Sect of Chinese Buddhism. Huayan Temple was built in the nineteenth year of Emperor Dezong's reign in Tang Dynasty (803 AD), where monk Du Shun founded Huayan Sect. His disciples were deeply favored by the imperial court and presided over the national Buddhist ceremonies at that time. Therefore, Huayan Temple is a famous temple with a high status in the Tang Dynasty. During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, part of the Shao Lingyuan collapsed, and all the temple buildings were destroyed, leaving only two brick pagodas. The east is the pagoda of Zen Master Du Shun, the first ancestor of Huayan Sect, with 7 floors on all sides and a height of about 13 meters. On the west side is the Qingliang Guoshi Pagoda, the fourth ancestor of Huayan Sect, with 5 floors on six sides and 7 meters high. In front of the pagoda, there is also a monument in the late Qing Dynasty "Rebuilding Huayan Sichan Qingliang Guoshi Pagoda". The stele inscribed in the sixth year of Dazhong (852 AD) by Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty has been moved to the Forest of Steles in Xi'an for preservation. Huayan Temple is now also used by monks for religious activities. It is a good place to climb high and overlook. Standing in front of Huayan Pagoda, you can overlook Fanchuan and Zhongnan Mountain in the distance.